Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1887-03-01
A DISASTROUS FIRE.
VESSELS AND A LARGE AN0UNr0P COTTON
BURNED INNEW YORK
0a the NCrth River froDt-TAirieen Rrsnsn Mar
Nwly Escape Distributing Scenes Dur
ing the Progress Of The Plames- 4
Tie Lass Considerable.

NEW YORK, February 2s.-At 6:a5
o'clock this morning fire broke ont on
Pier q, North river, owned by the Morgan
Line Steamship Company, and used as
discharging pier for freight.
The total loss will be about $3.50, 900 to
s4OO, ,OOO.
The fire originated on board the lighter
Lorena, which was moored at the extreme
end Of the dock. The wztchman saw smoke
issuing from the center pile OF cotton on
the Lorena and started to give the alarm.
There was no one the pier at the time, and
before the watchman reached the alarm
box the cotton on board the lighter WAS
blazing furiously, and dense clouds Of
smoke were blown into shreds. al
BY The time lhe tEsmen arrived the pier
WAS ablaze On the north side of the pier
was the steamer Lone Star, which collided
with the steamer Wolls City few weeks
ago, and on the south side was the steamer
City Of New York. Between the Stoning-
ton pier on the south side and the Guion
Line pier ON the north side there were
moored eight lighters loaded with cotton.
The wind was
BLOWING 4 FURIOUS GALE
in q northeasterly direction, and as the
cotton on the pier caught fire the smoke
filled the street 80 that il was impossible
To see any distance The blaze was heating
down on the steamer Lone Star, aud IL was
only few minutes before she WAS aiirr.
The fire patrol boat made several attempts
to get the steamer out from the hre. II
WAS low tide and she was grounded. Three
Of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company's
tugs helped the patrol, and at last she was
towrd over 10 the Gutenberg shore aud lett
in charge of two tugs. She was almost
totally destroyed. She was built about
twelve years ago, and cost $225, ,OO0 She
has deprecated in value since that time,
and the loss ou her will probably he about
500, ,OOO on which there is no insurance.
HEMMEp IN ny THE FLAMES.
Alter the Lone Star was got out Of the
way attention was paid Ia the steamer
City Of New York aud she was towed into
midstream without being injured. This
was at seven o'clock, aud Chief Mctiill and
twelve Of his men had managed 10 reach
the end Of the pier.
They were trying Ia work their way To
the lighter l.orena, when one OF their num-
Der happened To glance behind him, and in
an excited manner h. exclaimed
Good God, boys, we are hcmnicd in!''
The Chief looked in the direction OF the
street and saw that the whole front of the
pier was ablazc. and that their means Of
escape was cut oil. The men rushed Ia tb.
side Of the pier and got out on the string
piece. Every minute the fire from both
ends WAS last sweeping towards them.
The smoke Was 70 sunocating that Il was
difficult to breathe The only hope lor
escape was TO jump into the water aud take
their chances Of being able Ia swim ashore
through "A gull of fire. The water Was
filled with burning hales of cotton. Chief
McGill mustered his men around him and
! they played on the fire with one stream
which they hal run on 10 the pier. hoping
that for q time they could beat back the
Ilames. The fire surrounded the ho~e and
melted il in a short time. When this gave
out Chief Maiill called Ia his men about
him and said Boys, the only thing for
us TO do now IL to risk swimming"
Just ~ he was about TO jump into the
water one ot the men spied the tughnat ID.
NJ. Cox aud hailed her She wa, brought
to the dock aud Chief McGill and his men
were taken ON board without any one be-
ing hurt. The men were no sooner on
board of the tug than word was brought
TO them that Henry Watt, one Of the fire
men Of the steamer Lone Star, wss .Eked
up ia the Office, which was short dis
IaDce from the entrance on the water side
Of the pier. He WAS crying loudly for
help The hremen passed him an aSeand
he tried 10 work his way out lie swas
almost overcome, and his ciIorts were very
weak. The window was pried open aud
he was dragged out ia an in@nsible condi.
bOn.
On the dock were 900 bales Of cotton
and on the eight barges =, 800 bales, max
ing in all about 400 bales